1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking appliances and, more particularly, to a telescoping rack assembly provided in an oven cavity.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In a cooking appliance including an oven cavity, such as an electric or gas range, wall oven or the like, it is known to provide one or more racks within the oven cavity to support food items to be cooked. To aid in accessing the food items placed within an oven cavity, particularly when the food is to be removed from the oven cavity, it is known to mount a typical oven rack for sliding movement into and out of the oven cavity.
In one common arrangement, side walls of an oven cavity are integrally formed with elongated rails upon which a rack is slidably positioned. Such a rack system typically enables the rack to slide out of the oven cavity a predetermined distance due to the inclusion of a stop arrangement between the rack and the rails. In another known configuration, a frame which carries an extendable rack is mounted within an oven cavity.
Regardless of the particular type of extensible rack arrangement provided in accordance with the prior art, the degree to which the rack can extend out of the oven cavity is limited. That is, the prior art generally provides for only a single rack extension regardless of the particular rack mounting arrangement utilized. Given that a substantially percentage of the rack must be maintained in a directly supported position upon the rails or frame in the extended position, the actual extent to which the rack can be extended out of the oven cavity is limited. Of course, the farther the rack can be drawn from the oven cavity, the more convenient it is to position food items upon or remove food items from the rack.
Based on the above, there exists a need in the art for an improved extensible or telescoping rack arrangement for use in an oven cavity. More particularly, there exists a need for an oven rack assembly which enables multiple extensions of the rack out of the oven cavity, yet wherein the rack assembly is designed and mounted in a manner which assures a reliable and structurally sound configuration